Kiss Of Apocalypse
by Desmond Web
Summary: A new life, something that could be so beautiful...could end so fast. Epps has adopted a young woman in search of herself. But Jack has other plans. For once someone steps into his domain, they are forever his.
1. It begins

A/N: This fic has been long over due. And it's about time, I started again. Thank you for the years of love, and the years of visiting Ghost Ship Online. I don't own anyone in this fic except for my character, Desarae. Enjoy.

"_NOOOOOOOOOO!" _

Flash

"_I'm a salvager, just like you." _

Flash

"_They don't heed my warning…"_

-----

Wide eyed and fearful the ebony haired teenager stood on the wooden dock, petrified of the situation. Her ankles felt week and her heart beat ever faster. Desarae Epps was eighteen and alone in the world…

Now. It was her turn to fight.

Curls of a dark brown had fallen around those slender shoulders, Maureen smiled a wicked grin as she had trailed behind Jack Ferriman up onto the plank. Two men dressed in shipmate suits carried a large and antique crate of gold in front of them, followed by another two men. All together a total of two crates had made it into the Chessa Fae. People watched in pure terror as the teenager couldn't stop screaming.

And worse.

There was nothing she could do.

"Mom…" bottom lip trembling as if her whole world had fallen apart. And indeed it did.

"It's over…" Andrew had rushed to her side, his sandy brown hair falling in his eyes but he didn't care.

"No… it's just begun." Des responded as his hand had touched her shoulder.

------

"Get up, Dizzy." a whisp of a voice had emitted from her throat in a reply to the screeching alarm clock.

"I'm up!" the seventeen year old Desarae flounced her hair a moment, honeyed blonde tendrils cut short that just made a type of layered bob around her face.

"You're up?" Maureen could hardly believe her ears as the woman threw the covers off of her lithe figure and began up onto her feet, shutting off the digital alarm clock.

"Yeah." the younger girl began. Setting herself down onto her bed, covered in blue sheets. Diz's favorite color was always blue, like the ocean but her mother never wanted to talk about it.

"Amazing." Epps replied as she adjusted the covers on her own bed, not really one to want to come home from work and fix them.

Though, she was a tomboy, it didn't mean her apartment couldn't be spotless.

"Breakfast?" dark-hazel green eyes found their way to the hall, as the woman pulled open the door and started out towards the kitchen.

"Nah. Tryin' to cut back." the blonde grinned widely now already out of her own room. The bed was of course a pig sty as was the rest of the small room. Painted walls of a dark purple, she was just going through the punk stage.

"Diz…" a hand went to her forehead as if a headache had now been forming into a large migraine.

"What?" blue eyes met with those dark orbs, as Dizzy rolled her own eyes and grabbed onto a Slim fast box next to the counter.

Quirking a brunette eyebrow, her mother immediately started over to her daughter and gripped onto the box.

"Where the hell did you get those?" Epps exclaimed.

"From a friend… I'm putting on weight… "Diz whined.

"Desarae. You're 120 pounds, if that's putting on weight then Jesus, why is Anna Nicole Smith considered pretty?"

Diz chuckled whole heartedly, snatching the box.

"You wouldn't understand." she puffed out her chest, in an attempt to rebel against her mother as would any normal teenager.

"I would too." Epps frowned, as she raised both eyebrows now. The headache definitely was getting worse.

"Forget it. I have to go to school, I'll be home later. Bye." and rebel she did, as the teen snatched up the LL Bean backpack perfectly positioned onto her shoulders and with a slam of the door she was out.

"Jesus…" an annoyed mutter as then came a hefty sigh.

Hazel oculars found their way around the walls of the house. Then the clock had fallen into view. 6:30. Fuck. She was late.

-----

"Morning, Maureen." the woman smiled brightly, she had a stout figured and too dyed blonde hair. It looked like she couldn't stay away from the peroxide.

"Epps." the tomboy nodded, placing a hand to her heart as if to give the woman a rub off of her sarcasm.

"Pardon?" the woman replied.

"My name, is Epps." she groaned softly.

"Of course, of course. I'll see you at break, Maureen."

Something inside of her felt like it was snapping. Everyone seemed to want to annoy the hell out of her today, including her boss.

"First day on the job?" a man asked.

Startled a moment in her thoughts, Epps whirled around to face him.

"Hey…you're the chick who got shipwrecked…right? I saw it on the news…" a smirk.

About to say something perhaps she'd regret, Epps turned her back on the man and began to settle into daily life. This was how it would be. She had to accept it, or decline it. And declining lead straight to the loony bin.

"Hey." he tapped her on the shoulder and just like that, the woman had gotten into his face.

"You want to bug me about something you saw on the news? Obviously, I don't want to talk about it…so if you could with all do respect. Fuck off." Epps hissed.

"Oh…hey , hey." he sighed, offering her his hand.

"I'm sorry, … you know, first day on the job, I give everyone a hard time. I'm Andy, Andy Maloney." a sigh, and a sheepish shrug of his shoulders.

Frowning once, Epps shook his hand a tight grip was given back to his slender palm as she dropped her hand to her side.

"Epps."

"Sorry." Andy began. He had the bluest eyes she had ever seen. Almost like the ocean, or that necklace in that movie Desarae had brought over to her friends house to watch, Titanic.

"Yeah.. It's all right. I get that a lot." she replied, not once hesitating.

"Bar's opening' up soon. I'll see you around?" he smiled a sincere smile, almost apologetic.

"Yeah." Epps nodded, dark curls bouncing slightly when she turned to look at the counter. Filthy. Completely, and utterly filthy.

"By the way, 'Epps'." Mrs. Frederick began, a twitch to her lips slowly sliding into a smile.

"The counter needs cleaning."

"I can see that. Epps replied, trying to be polite as she could.

"Fredericks doesn't scrub itself you know!" a hefty pat on the back, as the round woman began on her way into the back storage, to probably bitch someone else out or so Epps had thought.

Gripping onto a sponge, the brunette began to squeeze out the water, turning on the faucet and let it run a few minutes till it grew cold.

"Miss?" it was a male voice, probably her first customer.

"What can I get you?" it was almost a drawl.

"Tequila, dry." he smiled. Almost elegantly. Never once looking up at the cheerful voice, she let her hand stray from the sponge a moment, but as she began to turn, a hand had gripped onto hers and not let go.

"Bud-" the last few letters of the word were mouthed as Epps nearly stared in full shock, eyes widening.

"Hello, Maureen." sandy brown hair which stayed back perfectly, deep ocean blue eyes and a navy blue wind breaker over a light green button down shirt.

"Jesus…" she yanked her hand back suddenly, as if to scratch the back of his in the process.

"Not happy to see me?" a devilishly smirk, hypnotic glance looking around the place. Filthy, disgusting humans.

She didn't answer.

"Come on… " Jack Ferriman smirked slightly, his own childish demeanor showing through as you could see the pearly whites in his grin.

"Get out." Epps replied softly, though she grit her teeth.

"Call the cops on me?" Jack chided her in a mocking tone. And worse. She knew the truth, knew that he could never be killed and no matter how hard she tried, it never would succeed.

"Maureen?" the small woman rounded the corner slightly.

"Are we flirting on the job?" she laughed lightly, placing a few strands of short blonde hair behind a pale ear.

"Get to work." a squeak of that cheerful voice as she waved, wiggling her fingers to Jack who in return smiled. But the minute the woman began to waddle away it turned into a cringe. But a smug one.

"So this is where you are now. Working as a bartender… in this shit hole." slowly his form inched closer to the counter as he leaned in, his lips just barely brushing her ear.

"You've come so far." tone like acid, perhaps a sting of ice.

A shiver ran down her spine, as Epps jerked herself back slightly.

"How about that tequila?" a bright smile.

The first thing on Maureen Epps' mind was if her child was safe. Perhaps if she didn't mention it to Jack he wouldn't know. But what if he had been watching her? Every move she made… every possible word into the telephone.

"How's mommy been?" another mocking tone, as the slender man took a seat on a bar stool, tapping his own nimble fingers on the counter top.

Epps' hazel eyes widened.

"You thought I didn't know?" he smiled with a coy grin.

"Oh Maureen." rolling his eyes, that smile turned into a sneer.

"I know everything you do. I watch every move you make. You can't escape me. Got that?" it was breath taking. And a scary reality she knew she'd have to face.

"Leave us alone, Ferriman…" her own tone of voice like a block of bricks that had just been tumbled down on him.

"I don't want the little street urchin." Jack drawled and rolled his eyes.

This made her mad.

"Get the fuck out. Now." Epps replied harshly.

A few older men were playing cards nearby, as one looked up sheepishly, another with broad shoulders had stared up to the two by the counter.

"I reckon that guy is giving her trouble…" the other muttered, tipping his cigarette in the ash tray.

"She just said Ferriman…" one of the men laughed lightly, having heard the story. No one would let her live it down.

"All right, buddy. Get out of here." it was Andy.

Epps froze in her place, digging her nails into the hard wooden texture of the counter top.

"He was just leaving." she replied harshly. But that glare of Jack's had just cut into her own mind frame, giving her something to really worry about. When Andy had stared to Jack, the only thing Epps could see was the fire flashing in the Ferryman's eyes.

A slight smile, the man began to back up slightly, finally turning around and began out of the door, but the funny thing was…no one really saw him leave down the sidewalk...he just disappeared. But to the normal eye, no one would figure that out.

"Epps… listen, I was teasing you earlier. That guy was a jerk, but we don't want to cause suspicion around here, you said so yourself you've heard it before…" he tried to come up with a weak smile, running a tanned slender hand through his sandy brown hair.

Epps still stood there, in shock, finally coming out of it.

"I need to go." her voice in a wisp.

"You just got here… "Andy raised an eyebrow.

"It's my kid."

------

Chapter two due tomorrow.


	2. Broken Pieces

A/N: Look for Ghost Ship Online to be back up this week, watch my profile for more info. Thank you to Spam Warrior, and my beloved Chels, for which without I would never be in this position.

----

Was it used as an excuse when she knew he didn't want Desarae? To get out of there as fast as lightning, worried about her kid.

And that's when the calls had started all over again. Endless phone calls from reporters, news stations, the works.

"Mom, ABC is calling … " Desarae groaned irritated, as she had slipped those earphones in her ears, fiddling with the Ipod to blast something that even Epps had to cringe at.

"Damn it." Maureen growled angrily, simply looking down at the caller I.D and slammed down the phone back onto the cradle once picking it up. But it didn't matter, the phone would shortly ring after.

"Maybe there's something decent on television." Dizzy sighed as she reached for the remote control, grasping it and clicked the power button.

"Reports show that this is the same multi million dollar cruise ship, that will take a journey to the Bahamas this afternoon. Raking in the cash as well as the owner who's come along for the ride, Mr. Samual Tate." a petite woman dressed in a pink suit stood with a microphone in her hand, camera positioned on her small button-like nose.

"Mr. Tate, what do you think of all this excitement, do you think this will be a successful trip?" her voice had been as annoying as someone with the name of Emily that Desarae had gone to school with.

High pitched and squeaky.

Epps nearly gawked at the television when Dizzy's widened as she saw her mother nearly go mental.

"What?" Diz asked impatiently, staring to the television.

"Christ."

"What!" Diz asked, tucking the Ipod into her pocket and settled the two piece earphone wire around her neck.

"Nothing. It's nothing." her tone nearly in pieces.

"No. You know something,… is it… him?"

Maureen shuddered as she slammed her fist down on the wooden coffee table.

"Damn it! Son of a bitch…" husky voice growled.

"He's kind of hot…" Diz blushed innocently.

Raising both eyebrows, Epps turned to her daughter. The worst thing would be putting them both in danger by staying here. They needed to move.

"We need to get out of here."

Desarae stood silently, the blasting of the music still pulsating into the headphones.

"Now, Diz." her tone strict.

"Okay." nodding with a serious tone, Desarae immediately went for the small bowl of fish, picking it up… only to notice… it was empty?

"Mom…"

Just as that voice clear as a bell had exhaled a tone, the door to the small apartment had been slid open with a small creak.

"Is this the right place?" piercing blue eyes stared back towards Maureen, and then the little brat by her side.

"Looking for these?" holding a small fishing string, complete with all four goldfish strung onto it and tossed it carelessly in Desarae's direction.

"Think of it as an early birthday present, kid." monotone, as a hollow laughter sank within the very walls of the place. Echoing through Maureen's ears.

Diz gasped and screamed when she hadn't even bothered to catch the strung fish, taking a quick step back.

"Hello, Maureen." Jack grinned and cooed innocently. He still had looked just as handsome when she had seen him.

Frozen in fear, Epps stood there a moment, her breathing shaky, until she finally lashed out at him, knocking him onto the floor.

"RUN!" Desarae had looked to her mother struggling on the floor, and before she could even blink…they were gone.

-----

"She's kind of cute." pinning her hands against the carpeted flooring of the cabin, Jack grinned as the woman beneath him struggled with all her might.

But at that instant did she feel something was moving. The rocking back and forth of …a ship.

"That's… impossible." eyes widened as she had finally brought up a leg, kneeing him right where it counted.

"Bitch." Jack squeaked in a high pitched voice, almost to match that of the reporters, as Epps rolled away onto the floor. The blue eyed man immediately had kneeled, holding himself but he had more important matters to worry about. Deceiving Epps had been one of them, suddenly the pain just melted away.

"Impossible?" Ferriman cackled as he had gripped onto the woman's ebony curls, yanking her head back so she was up against him now.

"Nah. See, it's a thing called, revenge, Maureen. A set up. I set you _all_ up. There was no television broadcast of a Mr. Tate, or a cast off. It was to make you think, which I knew it would." yanking her head back again did he tip his head slightly, canting it to the side and placed a hard kiss on her mouth.

She wanted to throw up. His lips had not just simply brushed against hers, but he had _kissed_ her. Raking those short nails against the back of his hand, enough to draw blood. Jack hissed in annoyance as he had now wrapped an arm around her slender waist.

"You're really, starting to become a pain in the ass, Maureen." voice monotone once again , just like he had been when he had made the 'salvager' speech as what Epps had called it, back on the Graza.

"Good." she growled.

A knock on the door.

"Sir, is everything all right in here?" a broad voice came in, it was the stuard.

His lips sneered angrily, showing those sharp canines as Epps could only smirk, in which he gripped onto her tighter.

"Everything's great." he replied cheerfully, hand over the persistent brunette's mouth.

And with that, the man on the other side of the door had vanished down the hallway, greeting people in a sickeningly sweet way in order to get tips.

She bit down hard on his hand as he yelped, not exactly expecting it at that moment.

----

Auburn red strands of hair nearly lifted in the wind, as a young child began over to the railing of the ship. Katie Harwood stood peacefully, wearing a light blue dress. The puffy sleeves that only lingered to her forearm. A blue ribbon tied gracefully into those straight strands.

This new ship. This wasn't the Antonia Graza. And how she had longed to see the ocean once more, Katie had always loved it as a little girl. A small smile had appeared on those light pink lips as a family of dolphins swam in front of the large cruise ship. But now something had pulled on her invisible heart strings.

Why was she here? It was then that those pale slender hands had realized they had been touching the railing… they hadn't gone through.

"Miss. You shouldn't be out here alone, where are your parents?" someone behind her had began to ask.

------


	3. Twisted World

She sat there a moment. In shock. Facial features contorted in something from a horror movie. And then, she started to cry. Desarae leaned up against the wall a moment, staring down to the dead and nearly looking like wax figure type gold fish, strung together neatly onto a fishing line. Rocking back and forth after the blonde had moved from the wall with her knees to her chin.

Tears fell from those crystal blue-green eyes, as the young girl wiped them with the back of her hand. So it was true…

He did exist.

She hadn't been crazy, Maureen.

Determination sprung up in front of the teen, as she had gripped onto something she hadn't touched for a long time.

Hair dye.

-------

_How did I get here? _

"The …art gallery. They were admiring that." pure blue dress had twirled it's material as her body began to turn around from facing the railing.

"My dear child." the man sighed.

"We don't have an art gallery. Come along." gripping her by the hand.

"But-" Katie tried to protest, but what would she be doing in the long run? Wasting her time? Maybe she had been reborn…like in those old fairy tales her mother head read to her.

Or probably as Epps would say. That was 'bull shit'.

She missed that woman dearly.

-----

Tears. Whimpering. Crying.

Jack had been asleep in the canopied bed, his shirt carelessly thrown on the carpeted flooring.

Waking up with a startle, Maureen bolted upright and smacked her forehead on the side of the table.

"Oh!" husky tomboyish voice growled.

Pale eyelids fluttered open, as Ferriman took note of what this crazy bitch was doing at 4:00 AM in the morning.

"That. Was stupid." Epps muttered, rubbing her forehead, as she threw the extra blanket off of her slender body and had begun to get up.

"Don't get any cute ideas." A groggy yet mildly awake Jack had exhaled.

"Jack. It's a ship. What the fuck am I going to do, swim my way back?" she growled angrily, bare feet padding against the carpet.

But there was that crying again, out in the hallway.

"Epps…"

Too late, the woman had begun to peek around the door frame, only to have it slam in her face. Jack hadn't looked amused in the least bit , dark circles were under his normally young looking eyes. He looked exhausted.

"Stay out of it." he grumbled.

Narrowing her eyes on him a moment, Epps took in his tiredly state and smirked.

"Didn't sleep much?" a hint of a smile.

"If you must know, not really." the younger man muttered.

"Why is she crying?" Epps demanded.

"How should I know?" Jack asked, shrugging his shoulders, though his tone held anger.

"Then why won't you let me see?"

"Are you always so damn nosey?" Jack barked.

"Get. The. Fuck out of my way, Ferriman." Epps growled, now opening the door once more, but as quickly as her glance had seen the corridor…the whimpering had stopped. Again the door was slammed, probably alerting some of the passengers that A, some kids were in that state room fooling around, or B, something was going on.

He threw both her hands against the wall, harsh and pinning them with his own slender hands, brushing his lips against her ear.

"Don't tempt me, Maureen…" a hiss of pure annoyance.

The woman tried to break free of his grip with no such luck, she wasn't going to knee him again, oh hell no… he was ready for that one.

-----

The cell phone had rang, and in annoyance Desarae picked it up, trying to sound at least normal.

"Maureen there?" the voice asked sheepishly. It was Andy.

"N-no." Diz replied, stuttering a little.

"She hasn't been to work for a few days, you guys okay?" he sounded more concerned than angry.

"No…"

------

"I'm … "

"I know who you are." Andy replied silently, as he shook her hand.

"She told you about me?" wiping another tear from that pale cheek, did the now brunette Desarae sit down at the chair beside the coffee table.

"She talks a lot about you." Andy began, as he took a seat on the couch opposite her. And then coughed once into his sleeve.

"Don't even ask to sit down." Diz smirked. She was well aware this was a friend of her mothers, for she wouldn't just let any plain stranger into her home.

"Sorry." Andy apologized.

"What is really going on?" he asked once more, before coughing again.

"Are you okay?" Desarae asked, concerned as she began to sit up a little straighter, leaning forward trying to examine him a moment.

"Cold."

He sighed, irritated with his own sickness.

"I see."

"Where's your mother, Diz?" he asked suddenly, as if they had both been thinking the same thing.

"He took her."

"He, as in… " the slender man started to laugh, pushing the black rimmed glasses up his nose.

"Well, you're both famous for your bull shit, aren't you?" beginning to get up off of the couch.

"You know something." Diz replied.

"I know something?" he laughed again, this time pulling out a cigarette from his pocket.

"Kid, I don't know shit about you people. I do know you're mother is an inch away from getting fired, and then how can she support you two?"

A broad smile started to show up.

"How… I can get a job." Desarae replied in her defense, though more casually than anything. She was so much in shock from all this, that it hadn't hit her full on yet.

"With no experience?" a grin now.

"I can try." Diz started to get a little annoyed now, as she got up from her chair herself.

"Don't smoke in here." a mutter. Though, it was a test to see if this fool would even listen to her. She had smoked in here all the time, but her mother didn't like it too much.

"Why?" he asked, taking the silver lighter, now Desarae noticing the skull on the side of the metal.

"Don't."

"And again, I have to ask…" placing the cigarette to his lips, and lit it with a quick motion.

"Why." it was more of a statement than a question.

"Look, she's not here, she went grocery shopping or something… leave." Diz began to the door, and opened it wide with a creak.

It slammed shut.

"She's not really your mother is she?" he drawled, his voice almost held no feeling to it what-so-ever.

"Excuse me?" Desarae asked, folding her arms across her small chest, eyes widening.

"You're not her blood related daughter."

"What difference does it make? Did it take you all fucking eight minutes to pick that one out? Please, go." her tone now held acid.

"You know, I think we have a lot in common, Desarae." Andy took a puff of his cigarette.

"I think we have nothing in common." Diz muttered, almost in a growl. Something was up. He had gone from being extremely nice, and nearly squirrel-like, to someone who had disregarded her pleadings of not smoking in her own house, and his demeanor had been that of…

----

Katie slowly wandered forward, being lead by this gentle man though perhaps he didn't buy her story. And that's when those light brown eyes widened.

"Happy birthday!" at least fifteen people had been surrounding her on the large deck, as the man had let go of her small hand.

"Oh…" English accent broadened slightly, the people had begun to clap, almost… innocent.

Almost….a dream.

-----


	4. Decisions Made

"Who is actually out there?" the brunette asked in annoyance as she still fought the lanky man in front of her.

"Old friend." Jack rolled his eyes as he finally let go of the woman just from being tired of her constant fighting. It was one thing to play a game of cat and mouse with the good and the bad, but this…this just got tiring.

Immediately that door was opened as Epps made her way out into the hallway of the ship, holding her middle with her hands.

Then she stopped.

A friend meant this woman …or girl who had done all the crying wasn't human. Gazing in back of her shoulder at Ferriman she just glared.

"This is my ship." something had appeared beside him as Maureen looked back once more towards the voice.

"Last time I checked, I'm the one who ferried it…" Jack snapped, looking at the raven haired beauty with pure anger.

"Well, that was before this bitch blew it up, now wasn't it?" the other snorted.

"Who are you?" Maureen finally asked, more than confused.

"Forgive me. Actually don't. But this is a private matter… by the way, nice curls." the door closed shut. Locked.

----

"What would he say?…" Abigail took a seat on the bed that Ferriman had slept on, the very bed that was his comfort with Maureen for the while.

"He?" Jack asked, pulling out a cigarette from the nearby open draw.

"You know who I'm talking about, Ferriman." Abi yawned softly, picking at her pink painted nails.

"This isn't your job. You were supposed to leave the mortal alone. There are consequences for this, you know?" flicking her thumb and forefinger nails together as she shook her head.

"I can't really expect better of you…" a dramatic sigh as the lithe figure got up from the bed and began to walk, no pace, along the carpeting.

"Leave, Abigail." Jack muttered when his cigarette wouldn't light with the lighter.

"I sent Andy to deal with you. Me? I'm just a warning." and slowly, her figure began to turn into a mist. The door unlocked and when Maureen stepped inside it was then that she saw the color drain from Jack's face.

"What now?" she didn't look happy.

"You have to trust me…" Jack said flatly, finally lighting the cigarette.

----

"Take me to my mother." Dizzy growled as she placed her back firmly against the wall with her arms crossed over her small chest.

"Can't kiddo." Andy replied with a small smirk.

"Then what are we going to do, stand here and have you just keep grinning and smirking?" she was growing bored with the situation.

"Well, I thought since you're I her /I daughter you might get the point." flatly drawn out.

"No. I'm here to stop you from doing anything remotely crazy that will get in our way."

"Our?"

"Evil VS. good, don't you kids ever read the Bible? No. Neither did I."

----

"Hey…hey." a strong hand started to rub Katie's back softly, but in a quick pace as if to try to get her to come to.

"You passed out little lady." the first mate said as the nurse handed the girl a plastic cup of water.

"I what?" that English accent began, her hand reaching out for the cup and slowly took a sip. It was true. She wasn't dead.

"You were unconscious, sweetie." the nurse replied.

"Oh." pretending to act dumb founded as the red head attempted to sit up but several people tried to stop her.

"Take some water and lay back down." the nurse smiled sweetly.

"I have to…find my parents." Katie looked at her wide eyed.

"They're in the waiting room, you'll be all right, just lay down and I'll call them in."

Blinking did she find herself nearly gasping.

"What?" a sharp whisper.

---

"See it's simple. You tell the police, I kill you. You tell other passerby's, I kill you. And if you attempt to scream like a lunatic in the middle of the public…"

"You'll kill me?" Desarae asked a bit curious, and both afraid.

"No. I'll send you to a mental institution. Clear?" Andy asked.

"Yeah." a depressed tone.

"Good."

-----

"Trust you!" Maureen nearly was crying she was laughing so hard. But Ferriman didn't look amused.

"You want me to be sent to hell? That's exactly what will happen-"

"Good-"

"If… you die."

Her smile dropped.

"See, when you blow up a Ferriers' ships…you're asking for trouble. A balance is set to only collect those that sin…but if we break that balance… things start to happen. And the world starts to lose its … balance." he felt like an idiot.

"In other words we're fucked." a sigh as she slid down the wall a moment, contemplating what to do next.

"Pretty much." Jack gave her an odd look.

"You're not giving up, right, Maureen?" a smirk.

"No, I'm just thinking."

"There's nothing to think about." tossing that cigarette down onto the carpet as it went up in an imaginary flame and disappeared, not one spot left on the carpeting.

"What happens if the balance is completely thrown off?" her dark eyes looked up at him with curiosity.

"A lot of shit happens."

She raised an eyebrow.

"You know…I never went to church. But there's a balance between good and evil. And you crossed it Maureen."

Now it was her turn to give him the odd look.

"We have a deal… with …" he stiffened a sneer.

"God."

"See, if we just do our jobs…collecting the 'damaged' sinners. Then we're okay. But if we lose what we've collected… they're reincarnated into different people…people that were one good… and that's a bad thing."

Furrowing her eyebrows as she began to get up and softly took a step forward to him.

"You're saying Murph's soul… is in a serial killer's body or something?" her heart skipped a beat.

"Exactly."

"How do we stop it?" she asked, hesitantly.

"We have to collect more souls. Or…you die."

"What!" Epps nearly shot through the roof.

"WE!" her eyes widened.

"We. You caused the damage, I did my job. It has to be done by you and me." Jack drawled.

"Why?"

"I don't make the rules, Maureen!" he grumbled loudly.

Sadness laid within her eyes.

"Do I have time to think?" knowing the answer.

"No." Jack rolled his eyes.

"Are we all done bitching and moaning now, really it's not so bad…" a smirk.

"You're trying to save your own ass aren't you?" she hissed.

"Pretty much."

"I have a daughter, Jack. I have …" cut off.

"A life?" Jack asked, a grin.

She looked down to the floor.

"Anyway… I need to give you your 'powers'. You're not going to like the outcome…"

"What?" suspicious.

"You have to die by my hands… "

Epps gasped.

"In order to get some fucked up powers you need to kill me? Hell no, Ferriman."

"It's that or…"

"Death!" she cried.

"Well. See I lied… you die either way. And might I add… you've got one hour."

----

To be continued.


	5. Two salvagers

"An hour? You're shitting me…" Maureen shot up onto her feet, nearly smacking Jack right in the chin. A groan would suffice as the man rubbed his chin and shook his head.

"Look, Maureen." he was starting to become angry, cold… the way he was when he had tried to kill her last time in the engine room.

"I _don't_ have time for this." a hand shot out to Epps' throat as he squeezed with all his might. But not tight enough to snap her neck. Maureen was brought up off of the ground as she tried to claw at his hands around her throat, but failed.

"This is the balance. We can't have mortals running around ferrying souls…besides, this way, you're mine." with one powerful let go of his hand, he tossed her across the room.

Epps groaned softly, laying yet again on her back as she rubbed at her throat and tried to get up. His shoe had caught her on the stomach, keeping her down.

"Should I let you pick your own death, or is that too easy, Maureen?" a wince had been exhaled from the woman underneath his foot as he pressed down harder into her stomach.

"I'm not dying!" Maureen growled as she attempted to move, kicking her leg to slide to the side right into his leg. Jack growled in annoyance as the woman began to crawl, her stomach had hurt like hell. Grabbing her dark curls he yanked her up.

Without one more look of hatred, or anger, he yanked onto her hair with all his hands might, and pressed his face to her own, kissing her hard, even more …passionate than Francesca.

Epps didn't know what to make of it as she tried to struggle. But then, he shoved her away, held onto her hair, and with a snap of her head the wrong way. She was dead.

Gently, Jack laid her slender body down on the carpeting, brushing his hand over her forehead, brushing back little curls. She was beautiful even in death. But at least the annoyance was gone. Feisty little Maureen…

Taking her hand in his own, a hissing sound could be felt, along with heat. She was marked. Now one of his.

With the snap of his fingers her body disappeared. Maureen Epps was dead.

------

Katie bolted up right in the bed now. It was a dream. Things were tattered… and torn. This looked like the Antonia Graza but it wasn't. When she tried to pick up the glass of water beside her, her hand went right through it.

"Dammit!" the 40 year old little girl yelled in anger. Some good Epps was an influence on her.

Quickly had her dress wrinkled and twirled as she began up off of the bed, this had been the nurses quarters. Now she'd have to be careful who she'd show herself to. Ferriman had tricked her, made her believe she was alive…what happened now?

-----

Just as he suspected, a scream erupted in the room. He didn't even have time to plug his ears as Jack winced.

"Epps…" turning around on his knees as he began up into a stance. His oceanic blue eyes watching the woman.

"What did you do to me?!" she was furious and immediately ran to him and started pounding on his chest, heading for a punch with a left hook. He stopped her immediately, grabbing her wrists and squeezed hard.

"You're going to listen to me now, you're dead. Maureen. You're marked." instantly her hand began to pulsate as she felt a scathing pain on her palm and her strength had been lessened minus ten.

"You'll do exactly what I say, when I say it. And if you don't…" he heard a gasp from her as blood began to form at her palm, and let her go.

Maureen held her hand with her opposite hand and rubbed over the mark, wincing. She was dead? To prove that theory and to prove it to herself, she picked up the hand mirror on the bureau. To her amazement, she held it perfectly.

"I'm not a ghost…" she whispered.

"No." Jack rolled his eyes, sometimes she was either too stubborn to realize what he had just said or just point blank stupid.

"You're a salvager. Just like me." he drawled.

"Fuck." Epps hissed as she dropped the mirror.

"Maybe later." Jack had to grin at that one.

-----

"So what, you're my babysitter now?" Desarae whimpered as she stared to Andy, just staring in his eyes.

"Sort of." Andy muttered. This was going to be a long evening.

"What's with the glasses, four eyes?" the young woman grinned.

Andy rolled his eyes as he immediately snatched the glasses from his face and tossed them carelessly to the floor, stomping on them.

"You're really that naïve. It's a cover, you dumb bitch." he gripped onto her wrist as he forced her into a chair, invisible binds on her wrists and legs.

"Have a seat."

-----

"Shut up. Ferriman." Epps glared at him as she leaned against the wall. She was dead. There was no going back, she remembered how he'd snapped her neck… kissed her… Oh God that kiss. Shuddering in disgust.

"You liked it." he teased.

What was worse. He was right.

"Hell no." she growled.

"Fine." Ferriman muttered as he started for the cabin door.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm not wasting my time sitting here with you. There's business to attend to."

He added wryly.

"Coming?"

----


End file.
